History and architectural features of the Kuzminki Manor complex and its interiors: towards the problem of virtual 3D reconstruction of the interiors of the manor's main house

The article focuses on the history of the Kuzminki estate (also known as Vlakhernskoye), and the challenges of virtual 3D reconstruction of its main house interiors, which were lost in a fire in 1916. This estate, founded in the early 18th century, was owned by the Stroganov family and later by the Golitsyn family, and is a prominent example of Russian manorial culture from the classical era. In the 19th century, the estate gained the reputation of the "Russian Versailles," but later fell into decline and was partially destroyed. The aim of the research is to systematically organize knowledge about the estate's architectural development, with a particular focus on the interiors of the main building, and to identify chronological stages for virtual reconstruction. The study examines various sources, such as inventories of property, lithographs, photos, drawings, and historical literature dedicated to the estate. The research methodology includes general scientific methods (analysis, synthesis, and comparison), as well as special historical methods (historical-genetic and historical-comparative), and source-based methods (source-based analysis and textual analysis). As a result of this work, based on a collected source base, the main stages of the construction, reconstruction, and restoration of the buildings in the Kuzminki estate have been analyzed. For the first time, attention has been paid to the architectural features of the central building, the interior of which will be reconstructed in a virtual 3D environment. This is the main manor house, and the interior of the round ballroom, located on the central axis of the manor complex. Based on the analysis of available sources, two potential time periods for virtual reconstruction have been identified: the late 19th century (original imperial interiors) and the early 20th century (suburban use). These periods correspond to the situation where manor items were dispersed from noble estates during the second half of the 19th and first half of the 20th centuries. This necessitates a hybrid approach in creating a virtual 3D reconstruction of the central hall of the Kuzminki estate's main house. The results of this work are part of my dissertation research and have the potential to be used in restoration projects and digital initiatives aimed at preserving cultural heritage.